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Stars and Smoke #1
Stars and Smoke
The Hating Game meets Mission: Impossible in Stars and Smoke, a smoldering new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu about a superstar tapped to become a secret agent and the reluctant young spy assigned to be his partner.
Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena. . .
Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.
Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she's forced to admit there's more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea's unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.
Meet Winter Young—rookie backup dancer turned global pop phenomenon. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. Now he’s bringing his swoon worthy assets to a whole new arena. . .
Infamous criminal tycoon Eli Morrison has just one weakness—his daughter, Penelope. And Penelope has just one wish for her nineteenth birthday—a private concert with Winter Young. When covert ops organization The Panacea Group approaches Winter with this once-in-a-lifetime chance to infiltrate Morrison’s inner circle, Winter must use his fame, cunning, and charisma to pull it off—only he won’t be on his own.
Posing as Winter’s bodyguard is the fiery Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest spy. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as the mission brings them closer, she's forced to admit there's more to this A-lister than slick dance moves and a handsome face. Panacea's unlikeliest partners just might become its biggest heroes—and maybe even more—if they can survive each other first.
Audiobook
First published March 28, 2023
693 people are currently reading
50148 people want to read
About the author
Marie Lu
51 books136k followersHi there! I'm an author of mostly sci-fi/fantasy YA novels, like Legend, Warcross, The Young Elites, Skyhunter, and Stars & Smoke. My adult fantasy debut, Red City, releases this October 14, 2025.
I graduated from the University of Southern California and currently live in LA with my family. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I spend most of my time writing, trying to keep my plants alive, and getting stuck in traffic. I feel very honored that I get to tell you stories, and my deepest wish is always that my books can offer you some joy, solace, entertainment, and/or escape. With all my heart, thank you for reading.
I graduated from the University of Southern California and currently live in LA with my family. Before becoming a full-time writer, I was an Art Director at a video game company. Now I spend most of my time writing, trying to keep my plants alive, and getting stuck in traffic. I feel very honored that I get to tell you stories, and my deepest wish is always that my books can offer you some joy, solace, entertainment, and/or escape. With all my heart, thank you for reading.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,412 reviews
dnf
March 25, 2023DNF - 20%
Yeah, I can't do it.
I tried, for old times' sake, because it's Marie Lu, but I have definitely outgrown stories like this. I'm too old, grumpy and sleep-deprived to suspend disbelief for teen secret agents whose beauty we need to be constantly reminded of. The last straw was:
Come to think of it... I'm pretty sure I disliked descriptions like that at sixteen too. Not to worry. There's plenty of folks who'll love this.
Yeah, I can't do it.
I tried, for old times' sake, because it's Marie Lu, but I have definitely outgrown stories like this. I'm too old, grumpy and sleep-deprived to suspend disbelief for teen secret agents whose beauty we need to be constantly reminded of. The last straw was:
Everything about him—dark eyes and thick lashes, the rich black hair that looked effortlessly perfect, the pillow-soft lips, the tattoos that decorated his forearms down to his left hand, the grace in his stride, the lines of his figure—drew the eye.
Come to think of it... I'm pretty sure I disliked descriptions like that at sixteen too. Not to worry. There's plenty of folks who'll love this.
January 21, 2023
ML is the queen of YA sci-fi. so when i saw that this was a NA bodyguard romance book, i was surprised. excited because i love MLs storytelling, but still surprised because its totally different than what she normally does.
and that difference is noticeable from the very first page. however, it is still very much quintessential ML storytelling. the characters have that charming snark to them, the plot is imaginative and fast-paced, and the writing itself is bingeable.
my only critique would be the overall vibe/feel of the book. even though the characters are old enough for this to be categorised as NA, there is still a strong YA feel to the story. not quite juvenile, but definitely younger than what i would have expected for this kind of story. but it makes me excited to see ML branch out more and i hope she eventually makes that full leap into adult.
so overall, this is quite a fun start to what i think will become an adorably action-packed series!
thank you, roaring book press, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
and that difference is noticeable from the very first page. however, it is still very much quintessential ML storytelling. the characters have that charming snark to them, the plot is imaginative and fast-paced, and the writing itself is bingeable.
my only critique would be the overall vibe/feel of the book. even though the characters are old enough for this to be categorised as NA, there is still a strong YA feel to the story. not quite juvenile, but definitely younger than what i would have expected for this kind of story. but it makes me excited to see ML branch out more and i hope she eventually makes that full leap into adult.
so overall, this is quite a fun start to what i think will become an adorably action-packed series!
thank you, roaring book press, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
April 2, 2025
Stars and Smoke is the newest release from veteran-YA author, and one of my personal favorites, Marie Lu.
In this story we meet Winter Young and Sydney Cossette. Winter is an international pop star and Sydney is a top-spy for a special-ops group. They're as opposite as opposite can be, but through an unusual set of circumstances they end up coming into one another's orbit.
It begins when the organization approaches Winter with the hopes of recruiting him. A major crime boss, Eli Morrison, who they have been trying to take down for years, has a daughter, Penelope, with an upcoming birthday.
Daddy Dearest is throwing the party of a lifetime for the occasion and wants Winter to perform at the event. The organization, Panacea, sees this as an opportunity to infiltrate Morrison's world. If Winter agrees to work with them, he can be their eyes on the inside.
Not just Winter though. They can't send an unseasoned operative in by himself. Sydney will be going with him, posing as his bodyguard. She has plenty of experience for the both of them.
I wouldn't say that Sydney is necessarily excited about the assignment. She just knows this guy is going to do nothing but get in her way, but alas, orders are orders.
The tension between them is palatable. Will they be able to put it aside long enough to complete the mission, or will they crash and burn, risking everything, even their lives?
I had a blast reading this. I found this to be such a refreshing change of pace from my normal reads. It's unique, fast-paced and thrilling, with well-created characters and an exciting plot.
I really enjoyed both Winter and Sydney. Initially, I was most excited for Winter because I tend to love characters who are musicians. This story didn't really focus much on that aspect, it was more about Winter's fame, but I was still here for it.
As I got deeper into the story, I found myself drawn to Sydney's story more. I love her character. A girl from a difficult background, Sydney joined Panacea as a way to escape her earlier life.
It's interesting because as agents of Panacea, they aren't supposed to really build prominent relationships because it makes it difficult to focus on their missions. This reminded me of the Jedi in a way and I feel like Sydney, in another time and place, would make an INCREDIBLE Jedi.
Nerdy-epiphanies aside, Sydney is just fantastic. I did enjoy watching the relationship between Sydney and Winter play-out as well, although I will say, I disagree with the synopsis calling this, a smoldering enemies-to-lovers story.
I get it, but I wouldn't say that's accurate. I felt like, while some of that may come into play, anyone expecting 'smoldering' romance may be disappointed. Just a little warning and of course, my personal opinion. You're idea of smoldering may be completely different than mine.
I did really enjoy the twists and turns over the course of the story and as a start to a series, I think this is a great base on which to build. I am looking forward to seeing the direction Lu takes this one. I will absolutely be continuing on with it.
One final note, the audiobook has incredible narration, so I definitely recommend that format for my fellow Audiobook Lovers out there!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Roaring Brook Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. Lu's writing never fails to transport me into her stories.
In this story we meet Winter Young and Sydney Cossette. Winter is an international pop star and Sydney is a top-spy for a special-ops group. They're as opposite as opposite can be, but through an unusual set of circumstances they end up coming into one another's orbit.
It begins when the organization approaches Winter with the hopes of recruiting him. A major crime boss, Eli Morrison, who they have been trying to take down for years, has a daughter, Penelope, with an upcoming birthday.
Daddy Dearest is throwing the party of a lifetime for the occasion and wants Winter to perform at the event. The organization, Panacea, sees this as an opportunity to infiltrate Morrison's world. If Winter agrees to work with them, he can be their eyes on the inside.
Not just Winter though. They can't send an unseasoned operative in by himself. Sydney will be going with him, posing as his bodyguard. She has plenty of experience for the both of them.
I wouldn't say that Sydney is necessarily excited about the assignment. She just knows this guy is going to do nothing but get in her way, but alas, orders are orders.
The tension between them is palatable. Will they be able to put it aside long enough to complete the mission, or will they crash and burn, risking everything, even their lives?
I had a blast reading this. I found this to be such a refreshing change of pace from my normal reads. It's unique, fast-paced and thrilling, with well-created characters and an exciting plot.
I really enjoyed both Winter and Sydney. Initially, I was most excited for Winter because I tend to love characters who are musicians. This story didn't really focus much on that aspect, it was more about Winter's fame, but I was still here for it.
As I got deeper into the story, I found myself drawn to Sydney's story more. I love her character. A girl from a difficult background, Sydney joined Panacea as a way to escape her earlier life.
It's interesting because as agents of Panacea, they aren't supposed to really build prominent relationships because it makes it difficult to focus on their missions. This reminded me of the Jedi in a way and I feel like Sydney, in another time and place, would make an INCREDIBLE Jedi.
Nerdy-epiphanies aside, Sydney is just fantastic. I did enjoy watching the relationship between Sydney and Winter play-out as well, although I will say, I disagree with the synopsis calling this, a smoldering enemies-to-lovers story.
I get it, but I wouldn't say that's accurate. I felt like, while some of that may come into play, anyone expecting 'smoldering' romance may be disappointed. Just a little warning and of course, my personal opinion. You're idea of smoldering may be completely different than mine.
I did really enjoy the twists and turns over the course of the story and as a start to a series, I think this is a great base on which to build. I am looking forward to seeing the direction Lu takes this one. I will absolutely be continuing on with it.
One final note, the audiobook has incredible narration, so I definitely recommend that format for my fellow Audiobook Lovers out there!!
Thank you so much to the publisher, Roaring Brook Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copies to read and review. Lu's writing never fails to transport me into her stories.
January 15, 2024
When one of my favorite fantasy authors decides to create a new novel in different genre like Ya action packed spy thriller meets romance, I can only say “bring it on!” And honestly I’m truly intrigued by Bodyguard meets Mission Impossible theme blended in my favorite trope; enemies to lovers!
Great thing about this book is not only its fast pacing, riveting, ultra exciting, unputdownable, captivating action scenes or twisty, surprising, heart pounding progression of the story! The characters are also amazing.
Winter Young is a superstar global Chinese American pop phenomenon at the age 19, still grieving his hero step brother, dealing with his emotional unbalanced mother.
When he’s approached by secret organization called Panacea for a secret mission to take down infamous criminal mogul Eli Morrison, he says no to the agents till he finds out his brother is also secret agent of this organization and if he accepts their offer, he can finally learn the truth about how his brother died.
Eli Morrison is just about to hire him for special concert for his daughter Penelope’s 19th birthday where a several of European politicians, elites, wealthy business man will be also invited. The concert will take place in London. During the occasion, Winter has to seduce Penelope to get closer to Eli’s inner circle, delivering a gift that contains tracking gadget to his right hand man/ secret lover of his daughter.
Of course another secret agent will accompany Winter as his bodyguard during the mission. But he never guessed he would be paired with a badass, ice queen who was successfully resisting his charms!
Sydney left her old life behind after dealing with loss of her mother and mistreatment of her abusive father. She started from scratch to build a new and lonely life. The agents : Niall and Sauda become her real family, accepting her as she is. They even supported Sydney for treatment of her kleptomania.
Sydney is also 19, coming from completely different background from Winter and she is already prejudiced and unhappy about babysitting a pop star. But she realizes he’s more than meets the eye. Even though they’re like moon and sun that cannot share the same space at the same time, they have to find a way to work out their differences for the sake of their important mission. But the sparks already fly between them. Sydney has to stay in the shadow as Winter is aim to live in the spotlight. Even though they achieve to complete their mission, how could they stay away from each other against all odds?
This book makes you breathe heavily, squirming in your seat, keeping you on your toes as you hurrying your head into your e- reader! ( let’s rephrase: you just keep hitting your head to your e-reader screen with full of excitement)
I loved it so much! And I loved those characters! I want them back! I hope dear Marie Lu brings them back sooner with another breathtaking, exciting adventure! Fingers are already crossed!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/ Roaring Book Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Great thing about this book is not only its fast pacing, riveting, ultra exciting, unputdownable, captivating action scenes or twisty, surprising, heart pounding progression of the story! The characters are also amazing.
Winter Young is a superstar global Chinese American pop phenomenon at the age 19, still grieving his hero step brother, dealing with his emotional unbalanced mother.
When he’s approached by secret organization called Panacea for a secret mission to take down infamous criminal mogul Eli Morrison, he says no to the agents till he finds out his brother is also secret agent of this organization and if he accepts their offer, he can finally learn the truth about how his brother died.
Eli Morrison is just about to hire him for special concert for his daughter Penelope’s 19th birthday where a several of European politicians, elites, wealthy business man will be also invited. The concert will take place in London. During the occasion, Winter has to seduce Penelope to get closer to Eli’s inner circle, delivering a gift that contains tracking gadget to his right hand man/ secret lover of his daughter.
Of course another secret agent will accompany Winter as his bodyguard during the mission. But he never guessed he would be paired with a badass, ice queen who was successfully resisting his charms!
Sydney left her old life behind after dealing with loss of her mother and mistreatment of her abusive father. She started from scratch to build a new and lonely life. The agents : Niall and Sauda become her real family, accepting her as she is. They even supported Sydney for treatment of her kleptomania.
Sydney is also 19, coming from completely different background from Winter and she is already prejudiced and unhappy about babysitting a pop star. But she realizes he’s more than meets the eye. Even though they’re like moon and sun that cannot share the same space at the same time, they have to find a way to work out their differences for the sake of their important mission. But the sparks already fly between them. Sydney has to stay in the shadow as Winter is aim to live in the spotlight. Even though they achieve to complete their mission, how could they stay away from each other against all odds?
This book makes you breathe heavily, squirming in your seat, keeping you on your toes as you hurrying your head into your e- reader! ( let’s rephrase: you just keep hitting your head to your e-reader screen with full of excitement)
I loved it so much! And I loved those characters! I want them back! I hope dear Marie Lu brings them back sooner with another breathtaking, exciting adventure! Fingers are already crossed!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/ Roaring Book Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
December 26, 2024
$5.99 hardcover at Book Outlet
As much as I want to break up with Marie, I find I can't. Growing up, I loved LEGEND. It didn't survive a re-read. I know WARCROSS is hit or miss for most of you, but Hideo Tanaka continues to get it. No notes.
I have notes here. So many that I don't want to discuss any of them. First of all, I didn't realize Winter had a Chinese background until he randomly started speaking Mandarin. Second of all, he and the bodyguard have zero chemistry. Stop trying to sell the romance. I was more interested in the mystery, which wasn't really a mystery.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners
As much as I want to break up with Marie, I find I can't. Growing up, I loved LEGEND. It didn't survive a re-read. I know WARCROSS is hit or miss for most of you, but Hideo Tanaka continues to get it. No notes.
I have notes here. So many that I don't want to discuss any of them. First of all, I didn't realize Winter had a Chinese background until he randomly started speaking Mandarin. Second of all, he and the bodyguard have zero chemistry. Stop trying to sell the romance. I was more interested in the mystery, which wasn't really a mystery.
🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners
March 28, 2023
Stars and Smoke by Maria Lu
Romantic suspense, new adult. Enemies to friends with a hope for something more. Clean.
Pop star sensation Winter Young is recruited by a clandestine organization to be a spy. He’s to put on a private concert for the daughter of a crime boss and infiltrate their inner circle. Winter is paired with a young superstar agent that will pose as his bodyguard. Sydney Cossette has trained intensively in hand-to hand fighting, weapons, languages and intelligence. She doesn’t think much of the singer, but she’ll do her job to help prevent the sale of the chemical weapons.
Gripping and engaging. I was caught up immediately with their sparks playing off each other as well as their personal issues. The character building was well done.
It’s predictable in one or two places, but twists had me surprised too.
🎧 I alternated between a paperback and an audiobook. The narration was done by Becca Q Co. I enjoyed the performance for the tension and the flames between Winter and Sydney. Their distinctive voices helped solidify the personalities and danger in the spy activities.
I did speed this up to my preferred speed of 1.5.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
Romantic suspense, new adult. Enemies to friends with a hope for something more. Clean.
Pop star sensation Winter Young is recruited by a clandestine organization to be a spy. He’s to put on a private concert for the daughter of a crime boss and infiltrate their inner circle. Winter is paired with a young superstar agent that will pose as his bodyguard. Sydney Cossette has trained intensively in hand-to hand fighting, weapons, languages and intelligence. She doesn’t think much of the singer, but she’ll do her job to help prevent the sale of the chemical weapons.
Gripping and engaging. I was caught up immediately with their sparks playing off each other as well as their personal issues. The character building was well done.
It’s predictable in one or two places, but twists had me surprised too.
🎧 I alternated between a paperback and an audiobook. The narration was done by Becca Q Co. I enjoyed the performance for the tension and the flames between Winter and Sydney. Their distinctive voices helped solidify the personalities and danger in the spy activities.
I did speed this up to my preferred speed of 1.5.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.
March 18, 2023
I love Marie Lu so when I saw this book despite it not being like her other books (or honestly the type of book I’d typically grab) I knew I had to give it a shot. I am glad I did. I did think the story was way too slow to start but overall I thought it was a fun and cheesy story. The characters were very interesting and I liked how deep we got into them with various flashbacks and inner musings. Winter Young is the world’s biggest pop star currently so he’s surprised when he is approached by a secret government agency to play spy for them at a private party for a billionaire villain’s daughter’s birthday. Sydney is a contractor hoping for a promotion to actually work for the agency. She’s a great agent but is not at all thrilled to hear who she will be partnered with on her most recent mission. Winter and Sydney both having some instant attraction but they also both are fighting it. The romance piece is a lot of flirting but not much beyond that. Overall it was a light, quick, and fun story. I gave it 3.5 stars rounded up for the great characters.
June 21, 2025
To say I’m disappointed would be an understatement 😔 rtc
──★ ˙🪩 ̟ preread !!
welcome back light silly little books, I missed you, it's been ages since I held one of you in my hands, ready to be annotated 🥹🫶
──★ ˙🪩 ̟ preread !!
welcome back light silly little books, I missed you, it's been ages since I held one of you in my hands, ready to be annotated 🥹🫶
January 19, 2025
Aww 🥰🥰
Así me dejó el corazón esta historia!
Amé la historia, amé los personajes, sobre todo las referencias de Winter Young 😍. Necesito saber más sobre Sidney y Winter, necesito una nueva misión 🥺🤭.
Así me dejó el corazón esta historia!
Amé la historia, amé los personajes, sobre todo las referencias de Winter Young 😍. Necesito saber más sobre Sidney y Winter, necesito una nueva misión 🥺🤭.
April 5, 2023
the PLOT TWISTS? i am unwell.
(also the BTS acknowledgement made my Army heart so happy.)
(also the BTS acknowledgement made my Army heart so happy.)
Want to read
June 15, 2022About a hot superstar recruited by an organization to take down a criminal tycoon who finds himself paired with an unpredictable secret agent—WOW OK NEED THIS NOW
March 17, 2023
Pop-stars, spies, and a side of romance -this was a very fun start to a series! Stars and Smoke feels very much like a Marie Lu novel- a solid blend of action, plot, and a bit of romance. This contains a complete story arc, but definitely leaves room for a book 2.
Winter Young is an international pop sensation, but he never feels like he can live up to the memory of his deceased older brother who died serving in the Peace Corps. The daughter of a criminal tycoon is his biggest fan and he's recruited to go undercover and collect the evidence needed to bring the man down. Acting as his bodyguard will be Sydney- a talented spy who escaped a difficult childhood by dedicating her life to this secretive organization. Is there chemistry between them? Obviously! And things don't go as planned...
This was a very fun, action-packed novel that fans of Marie Lu should enjoy. And the audio narration is very solid as well. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Winter Young is an international pop sensation, but he never feels like he can live up to the memory of his deceased older brother who died serving in the Peace Corps. The daughter of a criminal tycoon is his biggest fan and he's recruited to go undercover and collect the evidence needed to bring the man down. Acting as his bodyguard will be Sydney- a talented spy who escaped a difficult childhood by dedicating her life to this secretive organization. Is there chemistry between them? Obviously! And things don't go as planned...
This was a very fun, action-packed novel that fans of Marie Lu should enjoy. And the audio narration is very solid as well. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
May 8, 2024
Nothing life changing, but a very engaging and unique story! I love Marie Lu's writing style, but a lot of her popular books read very 2010. This one however is modern, with age appropriate relationships and queer characters, but still has the author's classic charm. The plot is very fun and fast-paced. And I really liked both the main characters and their romance. I saw a lot of people saying they weren't sure about this novel, since Marie Lu normally writes dystopians and not contemporary romances, but I'm here to tell you that this isn't a contemporary romance. It's a romantic adventure (spy-based plot) that reads right between Young Adult and New Adult. Basically, if Legend was aged up a little bit and written today. I highly recommend if you're looking for a quick, fun read!
April 22, 2023
I was willing to look past the pop star-turned-secret-spy, the teenage super spy, and the two of them being handed a case that's too intense for the CIA... But this book was just terrible.
This book follows Winter Young, a jaded young pop star who lost his brother in the Peace Corps, has a strained relationship with his mother whose grief has blinded her to Winter, and who questions whether or not the music he puts out is worth the level of fame and attention he gets; and Sydney Cosette, a teenage superspy who went from being a traumatized kleptomaniac to one of the most talented spies in the secretive group that employs her, Panacea.
In order for Panacea to take down a billionaire with some shady business dealings, Winter is recruited and paired up with Sydney who does not believe that he has what it takes to help this mission. Sydney is extremely one-note in the way that she's loudly bitter about some vague trauma from her childhood and will not stop talking about how she thinks Winter is going to hold the mission back while Winter is constantly thinking about his late brother, Artie, and thinking about his newfound desperation to do something brave and meaningful.
The two of them go undercover together to put Panacea's mission, which is deemed to be too big for the CIA which is why Panacea was hired for the case... and why it was handed to a pair of teenagers..., and Sydney's one-note bitterness toward Winter fades almost immediately with next to no reason as she falls for him and a relationship builds up behind the scenes between the two of them.
Although slightly ridiculous, I was really into the concept of this book. A popstar that becomes a secret spy? Enemies-to-lovers? All of it sounded like a lot of fun to me, but the book was just... Bad. It was action packed, but the spy technology often came across as slightly ridiculous, the characters were extremely shallow and not particularly interesting, and all of the plot twists were a combination of nonsensical and so obvious that they felt outdated.
This definitely felt like a YA book that would've come out and been a hit several years ago, but in 2023, it was definitely a dud.
This book follows Winter Young, a jaded young pop star who lost his brother in the Peace Corps, has a strained relationship with his mother whose grief has blinded her to Winter, and who questions whether or not the music he puts out is worth the level of fame and attention he gets; and Sydney Cosette, a teenage superspy who went from being a traumatized kleptomaniac to one of the most talented spies in the secretive group that employs her, Panacea.
In order for Panacea to take down a billionaire with some shady business dealings, Winter is recruited and paired up with Sydney who does not believe that he has what it takes to help this mission. Sydney is extremely one-note in the way that she's loudly bitter about some vague trauma from her childhood and will not stop talking about how she thinks Winter is going to hold the mission back while Winter is constantly thinking about his late brother, Artie, and thinking about his newfound desperation to do something brave and meaningful.
The two of them go undercover together to put Panacea's mission, which is deemed to be too big for the CIA which is why Panacea was hired for the case... and why it was handed to a pair of teenagers..., and Sydney's one-note bitterness toward Winter fades almost immediately with next to no reason as she falls for him and a relationship builds up behind the scenes between the two of them.
Although slightly ridiculous, I was really into the concept of this book. A popstar that becomes a secret spy? Enemies-to-lovers? All of it sounded like a lot of fun to me, but the book was just... Bad. It was action packed, but the spy technology often came across as slightly ridiculous, the characters were extremely shallow and not particularly interesting, and all of the plot twists were a combination of nonsensical and so obvious that they felt outdated.
This definitely felt like a YA book that would've come out and been a hit several years ago, but in 2023, it was definitely a dud.
Want to read
June 14, 2022MARIE LU NEW BOOK MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Want to read
April 30, 2024We have a cover!
I keep coming this new trope lately where a woman has to pretend to be a man's bodyguard. It sounds like an immaculate trope if you ask me.
**************************************
Superstar and secret agent??? Say no more. *aggressively clicks on 'want to read' till mouse gets broken.*
I keep coming this new trope lately where a woman has to pretend to be a man's bodyguard. It sounds like an immaculate trope if you ask me.
**************************************
Superstar and secret agent??? Say no more. *aggressively clicks on 'want to read' till mouse gets broken.*
May 10, 2024
꒰4 stars ₊˚⊹💖꒱
this was kinda insta-love just like legend...but did i enjoy it?? oh absolutely. the necco wafers were the star of this book (marie lu, the genius you are)
this was kinda insta-love just like legend...but did i enjoy it?? oh absolutely. the necco wafers were the star of this book (marie lu, the genius you are)
August 10, 2023
adding this to my list of books written by army
November 13, 2025
Can’t believe I actually finished this
Pre-read: from my TBR wheel, this is giving major YA but lets give it a shot (this is one of those "pretty cover" purchases)
March 11, 2023
Marie Lu hits it out of the park once again, readers!
I'll dive right in:
The plot:
Are you a sucker for a good bodyguard love story?
Me too.
Sydney is a new member of a covert government operations unit that is tracking a wealthy businessman who may or may not be one of the world's top criminals. The Panacea Group recruits a well-known pop star named Winter Young who is being paid to play at the tycoon's daughter's birthday party in London in order to obtain evidence of his illicit behavior. Sydney's responsibility is to act as Winter's bodyguard and make sure everything goes as planned.
The characters:
I imagined Winter's face as Kun from WayV and you can't do a thing about it. He's beautiful and talented and haunted by the death of his brother. He loves what he does but always feels as though he's not doing enough in his life to make it worthy. I admired his bravery, generosity, and cinnamon roll persona.
Sydney's grit and intelligence make her the ideal equalizer. Her only family members are people she works with. She doesn't enjoy "babysitting" a haughty pop star. She had only ever experienced loss and struggled to reach where she was, so she does not perceive Winter, who appears to have it easy, to be in the same situation.
They both discover things about each other that surprise them.
Overall thoughts:
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I did not see much of The Hating Game comp because a lot of the vitroil came mostly from Sydney. I can see a lot of The Bodyguard, though, which I loved. This isn't a real enemies-to-lovers story or a hate-to-love in a sense. The romance was organic and sweet.
I loved it. I love the cover. I cannot wait to own a copy for myself.
This book goes to show you that no matter what genre Marie Lu writes, she's going to hit it out of the park.
I'll dive right in:
The plot:
Are you a sucker for a good bodyguard love story?
Me too.
Sydney is a new member of a covert government operations unit that is tracking a wealthy businessman who may or may not be one of the world's top criminals. The Panacea Group recruits a well-known pop star named Winter Young who is being paid to play at the tycoon's daughter's birthday party in London in order to obtain evidence of his illicit behavior. Sydney's responsibility is to act as Winter's bodyguard and make sure everything goes as planned.
The characters:
I imagined Winter's face as Kun from WayV and you can't do a thing about it. He's beautiful and talented and haunted by the death of his brother. He loves what he does but always feels as though he's not doing enough in his life to make it worthy. I admired his bravery, generosity, and cinnamon roll persona.
Sydney's grit and intelligence make her the ideal equalizer. Her only family members are people she works with. She doesn't enjoy "babysitting" a haughty pop star. She had only ever experienced loss and struggled to reach where she was, so she does not perceive Winter, who appears to have it easy, to be in the same situation.
They both discover things about each other that surprise them.
Overall thoughts:
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I did not see much of The Hating Game comp because a lot of the vitroil came mostly from Sydney. I can see a lot of The Bodyguard, though, which I loved. This isn't a real enemies-to-lovers story or a hate-to-love in a sense. The romance was organic and sweet.
I loved it. I love the cover. I cannot wait to own a copy for myself.
This book goes to show you that no matter what genre Marie Lu writes, she's going to hit it out of the park.
May 31, 2024
This book was so much better then I was expecting there were so many parts in this book that set it apart from other books and just made it better
1) the role reversal with the girl being the bodyguard! I’m obsessed
2) Omg their relationship AH
3) I love like the trauma of the characters
I really related to this book and it was sooo good
If you haven’t read it, read it it’s soooooo good
1) the role reversal with the girl being the bodyguard! I’m obsessed
2) Omg their relationship AH
3) I love like the trauma of the characters
I really related to this book and it was sooo good
If you haven’t read it, read it it’s soooooo good
May 6, 2023
This was a fun read! It felt a little different than Marie Lu’s previous books but not in a bad way. The espionage/spy aspect of this book was so good and I liked how this played into the twist on the bodyguard trope in the romance plot line. I got into this one quickly and it was just a really solid YA overall! Marie Lu has always been a really consistent author for me, she’s never let me down.
October 1, 2025
3.4 // It was fine? A bit disappointing honestly, really predictable and didn't have much plot but not bad. I've loved everything else Marie Lu has written so far but this just fell short, it definitely wasn't enemies to lovers (as advertised) at all and was barely a bodyguard romance. I did however like the relationship Sydney had with her mentors and the relationship they had with each other (like can I get a book about them??).
I've had this book sitting on my shelf since it came out though so I think that made it a bit extra disappointing because like I gave it a home and expected it to be good for all that time and then it let me down lmao.
I've had this book sitting on my shelf since it came out though so I think that made it a bit extra disappointing because like I gave it a home and expected it to be good for all that time and then it let me down lmao.
June 25, 2023
did i finish this book or did it finish me
reread: mam dosc. chce kolejny tom.
reread: mam dosc. chce kolejny tom.
September 10, 2023
2.5 -2.75 Stars
It pains me to say this, but I didn't love the novel. Maybe it was too YA for my taste?
A pop star was recruited to become a spy. While on a special mission, he fell for his bodyguard and vice versa.
The blurb stated that this was a mix between The Hating Game and Mission Impossible. So going in, I thought it would be a fun rom-com with some intense fighting scenes. Something that will hold my interest and keep me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, nothing really happens until around the last quarter of the novel, but by then I didn't care. The ending wasn't enough to carry the entire novel. The narrative was predictable, while the characters and romance lacked development and depth.
Overall, it was just an okay read.
***I would like to thank NetGalley, Marie Lu (the author), Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for graciously sending me a copy to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
It pains me to say this, but I didn't love the novel. Maybe it was too YA for my taste?
A pop star was recruited to become a spy. While on a special mission, he fell for his bodyguard and vice versa.
The blurb stated that this was a mix between The Hating Game and Mission Impossible. So going in, I thought it would be a fun rom-com with some intense fighting scenes. Something that will hold my interest and keep me on the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, nothing really happens until around the last quarter of the novel, but by then I didn't care. The ending wasn't enough to carry the entire novel. The narrative was predictable, while the characters and romance lacked development and depth.
Overall, it was just an okay read.
***I would like to thank NetGalley, Marie Lu (the author), Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for graciously sending me a copy to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***
April 1, 2023
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“Let yourself think bravely, Winter Young. You may presume that you belong in the spotlight and I operate in a secret world, but perhaps we exist in the same place.”
What initially drew me to Stars and Smoke would have to have been it's cover - isn't it visually stunning?! 🤩😍 Totally captured my attention; plus, even if I'm not privy to Marie Lu's previous works, I was aware that she was a popular author and that her latest novel would prove to be a nice way to get a feel of her writing style.
So, it pains me to say this, but this did not live up to my expectations; I mean, it is a nice idea. Nineteen year old Winter Young is a pop sensation, every fangirl's fantasy, the embodiment of a superstar. So, it would come to no surprise that a covert government secret agency would approach him to aid them in taking down a dangerous organization that harbored a lethal chemical weapon that would put the world on the brinks of the next world war.
If you can suspend disbelief in this scenario, sure, I'll bite. I've always wondered what would happen if a member of BTS was covertly acting as a James Bond incognito. Doesn't hurt that the agent assigned to protect him is nineteen year old talented, Sydney, who dislikes him from the get-go, simply because she's not a fan of people like him.
That's the part that bothered me the most - the insta-hate - it just didn't make any sense. They meet, she hates him without even knowing him and he reciprocates in kind without any real basis. The snarky banter, the witty quips, it just felt so random and then their latent chemistry, the sudden attraction to each other - just fell flat. It was a week!!?? And suddenly, she's all he can see - think of. Yes, it's possible! I know 'love at first sight and all', but there could have been a brief bout of just developing some feelings. It would have been nice to have seen. 😞
"There was sadness etched into the lines of his body tonight, something she occasionally recognized from his performances. It gave him that secret pull, an aching vulnerability hidden behind the wink and the sidelong smile.
As if he both desperately needed the spotlight and yet couldn’t bear the attention. There was no one else here, and yet, even now, he looked like a star, like he couldn’t help but burn so bright that even the air was drawn to him, that the moon yearned to illuminate him."
I really did try to get into it - believe me, I did. And the writing - ah, I'm gonna hate myself for saying this, but --- I've read fanfiction that had more feeling to it. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ Yes, he's a pop idol, his beauty is going to be heightened, almost ethereal, but I didn't need to read about it all the time. I just couldn't feel the connection or even sense the thrill of danger in the scenes - there was just something lacking in believing that the threat is very much real. Or maybe my expectations were a little too high on this, and it was a decent enough read??? 🤔
"So instead, she said coolly, “And you should update your cologne. It’s awful.”
It wasn’t—it made him smell like a dream."
What does a dream smell like, I've wondered that, myself. 😯
Sarcasm aside, there were some slightly appealing points to it, which warrant a mention. The plot twists were unexpected and the action scenes were nicely handled. Winter and Sydney were likable enough characters, which is the surprising part. They were both passionate about their jobs, each determined to be the best at what they do. I did like how the two of them were very much focused on each other's behaviors, once they'd familiarized themselves with it. It made them all the more in tuned with each other, that made it all the more believable when they were in the face of danger. ✨✨
Probably my favorite aspect of the book would have to be the personal backgrounds of both MC's; I did appreciate those moments quite a bit. The relationship between Winter and his older brother, Artie, was an impactful and meaningful one. I won't say much without spoiling it, but Winter's inner desire to be as good as his brother, to aim heights and live up to him, in the eyes of his mother, was very much relatable and very realistically dealt with. Sydney, herself, hasn't had an easy life either - so for her to still be harboring some challenges from her past, and her desire to keep it from the agency was a unique idea, as well, which luckily, all worked out well in the end.
Overall, it was a nice enough read - just not enough to grip my attention or make it especially memorable for me. Which does make me sad, since I did go in with high hopes for it. I am curious, though, to see how it can evolve into a series - I did feel like there was something more to Winter's close friends, so that's something to keep an eye out for. And if it's target audience is YA, then it's definitely win some fans, for sure, because “Optimism is my hidden power”.
😉 If you know, you know. 😉
“Let yourself think bravely, Winter Young. You may presume that you belong in the spotlight and I operate in a secret world, but perhaps we exist in the same place.”
What initially drew me to Stars and Smoke would have to have been it's cover - isn't it visually stunning?! 🤩😍 Totally captured my attention; plus, even if I'm not privy to Marie Lu's previous works, I was aware that she was a popular author and that her latest novel would prove to be a nice way to get a feel of her writing style.
So, it pains me to say this, but this did not live up to my expectations; I mean, it is a nice idea. Nineteen year old Winter Young is a pop sensation, every fangirl's fantasy, the embodiment of a superstar. So, it would come to no surprise that a covert government secret agency would approach him to aid them in taking down a dangerous organization that harbored a lethal chemical weapon that would put the world on the brinks of the next world war.
If you can suspend disbelief in this scenario, sure, I'll bite. I've always wondered what would happen if a member of BTS was covertly acting as a James Bond incognito. Doesn't hurt that the agent assigned to protect him is nineteen year old talented, Sydney, who dislikes him from the get-go, simply because she's not a fan of people like him.
That's the part that bothered me the most - the insta-hate - it just didn't make any sense. They meet, she hates him without even knowing him and he reciprocates in kind without any real basis. The snarky banter, the witty quips, it just felt so random and then their latent chemistry, the sudden attraction to each other - just fell flat. It was a week!!?? And suddenly, she's all he can see - think of. Yes, it's possible! I know 'love at first sight and all', but there could have been a brief bout of just developing some feelings. It would have been nice to have seen. 😞
"There was sadness etched into the lines of his body tonight, something she occasionally recognized from his performances. It gave him that secret pull, an aching vulnerability hidden behind the wink and the sidelong smile.
As if he both desperately needed the spotlight and yet couldn’t bear the attention. There was no one else here, and yet, even now, he looked like a star, like he couldn’t help but burn so bright that even the air was drawn to him, that the moon yearned to illuminate him."
I really did try to get into it - believe me, I did. And the writing - ah, I'm gonna hate myself for saying this, but --- I've read fanfiction that had more feeling to it. 🤦♀️🤦♀️ Yes, he's a pop idol, his beauty is going to be heightened, almost ethereal, but I didn't need to read about it all the time. I just couldn't feel the connection or even sense the thrill of danger in the scenes - there was just something lacking in believing that the threat is very much real. Or maybe my expectations were a little too high on this, and it was a decent enough read??? 🤔
"So instead, she said coolly, “And you should update your cologne. It’s awful.”
It wasn’t—it made him smell like a dream."
What does a dream smell like, I've wondered that, myself. 😯
Sarcasm aside, there were some slightly appealing points to it, which warrant a mention. The plot twists were unexpected and the action scenes were nicely handled. Winter and Sydney were likable enough characters, which is the surprising part. They were both passionate about their jobs, each determined to be the best at what they do. I did like how the two of them were very much focused on each other's behaviors, once they'd familiarized themselves with it. It made them all the more in tuned with each other, that made it all the more believable when they were in the face of danger. ✨✨
Probably my favorite aspect of the book would have to be the personal backgrounds of both MC's; I did appreciate those moments quite a bit. The relationship between Winter and his older brother, Artie, was an impactful and meaningful one. I won't say much without spoiling it, but Winter's inner desire to be as good as his brother, to aim heights and live up to him, in the eyes of his mother, was very much relatable and very realistically dealt with. Sydney, herself, hasn't had an easy life either - so for her to still be harboring some challenges from her past, and her desire to keep it from the agency was a unique idea, as well, which luckily, all worked out well in the end.
Overall, it was a nice enough read - just not enough to grip my attention or make it especially memorable for me. Which does make me sad, since I did go in with high hopes for it. I am curious, though, to see how it can evolve into a series - I did feel like there was something more to Winter's close friends, so that's something to keep an eye out for. And if it's target audience is YA, then it's definitely win some fans, for sure, because “Optimism is my hidden power”.
😉 If you know, you know. 😉
December 1, 2024
I'm not going to read any other Marie Lu works
the only reason it's not 1 star is because of agent A and B
the only reason it's not 1 star is because of agent A and B
April 20, 2025
The more I think about this book, the angrier I become, and it's kind of irrational, but I'm a certified hater, so it's fine.
First, I'd like to say that I read this with my homie Danielle, who hates it as much as I do. Ur a real one for that, Danielle.
Second, this book is so strange. Once you stop reading a bunch of ya books, this one is like a slap to the face. Overly descriptive paragraphs about how hot a guy is or how mysterious a girl is. I don't care. It's on the long, long list of things I could not care less about because what does it add to the story? Nothing. All it points out is how shallow these characters are.
This brings me to my next point: the romance. If you're going into this thinking it's an enemies to lovers, turn the fuck around. It is not. That is false advertising. It is Sydney being unable to tolerate Winter for being rich and famous and Winter existing. This is also a simplified recollection of them—I don't want to cheapen Sydney's past and struggles but at the same time, I have not had any reason to care about her, so frankly her feelings for Winter has not garnered my respect. Also it makes no sense.
There is no chemistry between these characters. I don't understand why they suddenly developed their feelings for each other 25% of the way in. Especially Sydney, who is written to be more level-headed. She talks about having flings with other agents, but somehow, Winter is different. Why? Why????? Cause he's hot? Famous? Isn't that why you couldn't tolerate him? This is not enemies to lovers. Winter is not her enemy. Winter is the exactly the archetype someone like Sydney would inherently dislike. Marketing lately is so overly saturated with the enemies to lovers that they'll slap it on anything, and it's not fair. Such a great trope with so much potential delegated to nothing.
As for Winter's feelings, bro fuck knows. I liked him but it made no sense to me either. Famous people are fucking weird. Guess any mysterious type of person would catch his interest, especially if they seemed to hate (🙄) him. Regardless of the nonsensical reasoning, it still made no sense to me. There is nothing that indicates why they've got it so bad for each other. Depth? I don't know her either.
The side characters here all had more life to them than the main characters. I couldn't stand Sydney's point of view, and that upsets me for two main reasons: one, she's a fucking SPY. HELLO???? and two: I don't want to hate the girl, I really don't. But her personality was tied between wet sand and tumbleweed, which is to say BORING. How is a spy boring. I don't know how that's possible. But here we are! She tries to be the cold, aloof character, and I know for a damn fact that Marie Lu writes those characters incredibly well (MISS JAX HELLO??) so I've no clue what happened here. The only reason Winter was tolerable was because the side characters around him were amazing. Dameon and Leo are the only reason I saw this book to its end.
Plot wise, goddamn. This had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, and I'm so sad. Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. But it's so much fun. Marie Lu writes incredibly fun, exciting books, and this shouldn't have been an exception. I was looking forward to how she was going to twist this. I would have enjoyed this far, far more if there was more focus on the mission, and there was no romance at all. I love her writing and how her romance arcs are written. This should not have been the exception.
There was so much to work with here.
I'm annoyed at how ridiculous this was.
First, I'd like to say that I read this with my homie Danielle, who hates it as much as I do. Ur a real one for that, Danielle.
Second, this book is so strange. Once you stop reading a bunch of ya books, this one is like a slap to the face. Overly descriptive paragraphs about how hot a guy is or how mysterious a girl is. I don't care. It's on the long, long list of things I could not care less about because what does it add to the story? Nothing. All it points out is how shallow these characters are.
This brings me to my next point: the romance. If you're going into this thinking it's an enemies to lovers, turn the fuck around. It is not. That is false advertising. It is Sydney being unable to tolerate Winter for being rich and famous and Winter existing. This is also a simplified recollection of them—I don't want to cheapen Sydney's past and struggles but at the same time, I have not had any reason to care about her, so frankly her feelings for Winter has not garnered my respect. Also it makes no sense.
There is no chemistry between these characters. I don't understand why they suddenly developed their feelings for each other 25% of the way in. Especially Sydney, who is written to be more level-headed. She talks about having flings with other agents, but somehow, Winter is different. Why? Why????? Cause he's hot? Famous? Isn't that why you couldn't tolerate him? This is not enemies to lovers. Winter is not her enemy. Winter is the exactly the archetype someone like Sydney would inherently dislike. Marketing lately is so overly saturated with the enemies to lovers that they'll slap it on anything, and it's not fair. Such a great trope with so much potential delegated to nothing.
As for Winter's feelings, bro fuck knows. I liked him but it made no sense to me either. Famous people are fucking weird. Guess any mysterious type of person would catch his interest, especially if they seemed to hate (🙄) him. Regardless of the nonsensical reasoning, it still made no sense to me. There is nothing that indicates why they've got it so bad for each other. Depth? I don't know her either.
The side characters here all had more life to them than the main characters. I couldn't stand Sydney's point of view, and that upsets me for two main reasons: one, she's a fucking SPY. HELLO???? and two: I don't want to hate the girl, I really don't. But her personality was tied between wet sand and tumbleweed, which is to say BORING. How is a spy boring. I don't know how that's possible. But here we are! She tries to be the cold, aloof character, and I know for a damn fact that Marie Lu writes those characters incredibly well (MISS JAX HELLO??) so I've no clue what happened here. The only reason Winter was tolerable was because the side characters around him were amazing. Dameon and Leo are the only reason I saw this book to its end.
Plot wise, goddamn. This had SO MUCH POTENTIAL, and I'm so sad. Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. But it's so much fun. Marie Lu writes incredibly fun, exciting books, and this shouldn't have been an exception. I was looking forward to how she was going to twist this. I would have enjoyed this far, far more if there was more focus on the mission, and there was no romance at all. I love her writing and how her romance arcs are written. This should not have been the exception.
There was so much to work with here.
I'm annoyed at how ridiculous this was.
January 31, 2023
3.5 ⭐️
This was a fun concept a famous pop star Winter being thrown into a spy situation with a true spy Sidney.
It was a fast easy read and for YA I think it was perfect. This will be a fun one for younger audiences. The plot itself and how it was executed fell a bit flat for me. I found it to be repetitive at times. However there were definitely other points where it was edge of my seat.
I struggled with the characters and the matching in this book, I appreciate that the intended audience will enjoy the romance aspect of this book and I was looking forward to it as well. But for some reason I just couldn't get into this one. There were points of chemistry but then lost steam here and there,
I would recommend this book for highschool age and up. I think teens will love this book, it's fun spy undercover with low stakes.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites closer to Publishing date.
This was a fun concept a famous pop star Winter being thrown into a spy situation with a true spy Sidney.
It was a fast easy read and for YA I think it was perfect. This will be a fun one for younger audiences. The plot itself and how it was executed fell a bit flat for me. I found it to be repetitive at times. However there were definitely other points where it was edge of my seat.
I struggled with the characters and the matching in this book, I appreciate that the intended audience will enjoy the romance aspect of this book and I was looking forward to it as well. But for some reason I just couldn't get into this one. There were points of chemistry but then lost steam here and there,
I would recommend this book for highschool age and up. I think teens will love this book, it's fun spy undercover with low stakes.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children's Publishing for this advanced reader copy. My review is voluntarily my own.
I will be posting my review to my Instagram page the.floofs.booknook and retail sites closer to Publishing date.
January 31, 2024
I have received an Advance Reader's Copy of this book through a giveaway hosted by the publisher. This has not affected my rating or review in any way.
Stars & Smoke is everything I want in a young adult adventure novel- enemies-to-lovers (!!!), a pop star boy, a secret agent girl (and y’all already know how much I love spies and secret agents), and one big espionage mission. Fortunately for me, Marie Lu delivered on exactly what she promised.
This novel was brilliantly written, and I loved every second of it. The characters were well-developed and entertaining, I especially loved the spy Sydney Cossette. The popstar Winter Young was also great. As for the plot, it’s a spy thriller with plenty of action and steamy romance sprinkled in- it’s definitely upper young adult level romance.
My favorite part of the novel was definitely the secret agent and espionage aspects of the story. I’ve loved spy stories since I was young; Black Widow is my favorite Avenger and one of my favorite book series is the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. Would I have loved this novel without all of the spy stuff? Yes, but probably not as much as the novel wouldn’t have a plot otherwise (lol).
I’m eagerly waiting for the next novel!
Stars & Smoke is everything I want in a young adult adventure novel- enemies-to-lovers (!!!), a pop star boy, a secret agent girl (and y’all already know how much I love spies and secret agents), and one big espionage mission. Fortunately for me, Marie Lu delivered on exactly what she promised.
This novel was brilliantly written, and I loved every second of it. The characters were well-developed and entertaining, I especially loved the spy Sydney Cossette. The popstar Winter Young was also great. As for the plot, it’s a spy thriller with plenty of action and steamy romance sprinkled in- it’s definitely upper young adult level romance.
My favorite part of the novel was definitely the secret agent and espionage aspects of the story. I’ve loved spy stories since I was young; Black Widow is my favorite Avenger and one of my favorite book series is the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. Would I have loved this novel without all of the spy stuff? Yes, but probably not as much as the novel wouldn’t have a plot otherwise (lol).
I’m eagerly waiting for the next novel!
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